Natural disaster on São Paulo’s coast: 48 dead and 38 missing

The fatalities from the heavy rains on the coast of São Paulo reached 48 this Ash Wednesday (Feb. 22). Most of the dead (47) were in São Sebastião and one in Ubatuba.

Another 38 people are missing.

According to the last bulletin released by the São Sebastião City Hall, at the end of Tuesday afternoon, 1,943 people were homeless, and the rains displaced 1,686.

The governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas (Republican), decreed a state of public calamity on Sunday in the cities of Ubatuba, São Sebastião, Ilhabela, Guarujá, Caraguatatuba, and Bertioga and announced R$7 (US$1.2) million for the Civil Defense to help the victims.

The resources will be released through an additional credit to the Fiscal Budget in the Secretariat of Government and Institutional Relations.

Tarcísio also reinforces the request for tourists to leave the coast of São Paulo.

“The recommendation is the same as yesterday: take advantage of the good weather window to move. We have the Barra do Sahy to São Sebastião unobstructed,” he said.

In a meeting with Lula and the mayor of São Sebastião, Felipe Augusto (PSDB), it was decided that the reconstruction of the houses would be coordinated by the Ministry of Integration and Regional Development and the Ministry of Cities.

At the same time, the City Hall will be responsible for finding land outside risk areas for the new constructions.

Humanitarian aid will be provided by the Social Solidarity Fund of the State of São Paulo and the municipality of São Sebastião.